ATMOSPHEROLOGY.— -WINDS. 413 



of wind occurred in Iceland, which blew from the 

 north during the whole twenty-four hours. The 

 country, to an extent of several miles from the shore, 

 was covered with salt-water driven from the sea in 

 the form of rain ; boats on the beach were taken up 

 into the air, and dashed to pieces*. 



When the countries of temperate climates suffer 

 under tempests in frequent succession, the polar re- 

 gions enjoy a comparative tranquillity. After the 

 autumn gales have passed, a series of calm weather, 

 attended with severe frost, frequently succeeds^ 

 Crantz makes the general remark, that " in Disco 

 it is often for two or three months constantly calm^ 

 and the air clear, though filled with vapours." So 

 striking, indeed, is the stillness of the northern win- 

 ter, and even that of Russia, in parts which merely 

 border on the fi-igid zone, that Dr Guthrie, in his 

 Dissertation on the Climate of Russia, after observ- 

 ing, that hail is a rare appearance in the winter sea- 

 son, and that tempests are equally vmcommon, pro- 

 ceeds to remark, that nature seems " to have studied 

 a perfect equality in the distribution of her favours, 

 as it is oiily the parts of the earth which most enjoy 

 the kindly influences of the sun, that suffer by the 

 effects of its superior heat ; so that if the atmo- 

 sphere of the north is not so genial as that of the 

 south, at least it remains perfectly quiet and serene. 



Travels in Iceland during the Summer of 1810. 



